From Wikipedia:
The alternate term ROIO or RoIO, an acronym meaning "Record of Indeterminate Origin", or "Record of Illegitimate Origin", arose among Pink Floyd collectors trying to clarify the differences between counterfeits, pirate copies, live bootlegs, and "ROIOs", meaning recordings whose legal status was difficult or even impossible to determine. The term has spread beyond Pink Floyd fans but its recognition and usage depends largely on the individual community. It is also sometimes used to denote a Pink Floyd recording of any kind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROIO & http://www.pf-roio.de/
Echoes
Pink Floyd (ROIO) Lyrics
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Hangs motionless upon the air
And deep beneath the rolling waves
In labyrinths of coral caves
An echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand
And everything is green and submarine
And no one knows the where's or why's
Something stirs and something tries
Starts to climb toward the light
Strangers passing in the street
By chance two separate glances meet
And I am you and what I see is me
And do I take you by the hand
And lead you through the land
And help me understand
The best I can
And no one called us to the land
And no one crosses there alive
No one speaks and no one tries
No one flies around the sun
Almost everyday you fall
Upon my waking eyes
Inviting and inciting me
To rise
And through the window in the wall
Come streaming in on sunlight wings
A million bright ambassadors of morning
And no one sings me lullabys
And no one makes me close my eyes
So I throw the windows wide
And call to you across the sky
The opening lines of Pink Floyd's song "Echoes" set the tone for the entire piece. With an albatross hanging motionless overhead, and the sound of an echo of a distant time coming across the sand, the lyrics create an atmosphere of isolation and otherworldliness. The line "no one called us to the land" establishes the sense that the singers are outsiders, detached from society and living in an uncertain world.
As the song progresses, the lyrics continue to evoke a sense of isolation coupled with a longing for connection. The lines "Strangers passing in the street / By chance two separate glances meet / And I am you and what I see is me" suggest that despite the separation between individuals, there is a fundamental sameness that draws us together. The lines "And help me understand / The best I can" hint that this connection is difficult to fully grasp or communicate.
Throughout the song, the lyrics are paired with haunting melodies and atmospheric soundscapes that create a dreamlike feeling. From the eerie opening notes to the soaring crescendos later in the piece, "Echoes" is a showcase of Pink Floyd's ability to create immersive sonic environments that marry perfectly with their lyrics, emphasizing the sense of otherworldliness and detachment established in the words.
Line by Line Meaning
Overhead the albatross
High above, the albatross bird is suspended effortlessly in the air
Hangs motionless upon the air
The bird appears to be floating without making any movements
And deep beneath the rolling waves
Far below the waves of the ocean
In labyrinths of coral caves
Within complex and winding passages of coral caves
An echo of a distant time
A reverberation of a time long gone by
Comes willowing across the sand
Floats gently across the sandy beach
And everything is green and submarine
All that can be seen is green and underwater
And no one called us to the land
No one has summoned us to the shore or the land
And no one knows the where's or why's
There is no understanding of the reasons or the location of the call
Something stirs and something tries
An unknown force is shaking things up, attempting to accomplish something
Starts to climb toward the light
It begins to ascend toward the light
Strangers passing in the street
People who don't know each other as they walk down the street
By chance two separate glances meet
By happenstance, their gazes lock in on one another
And I am you and what I see is me
Somehow, you and I are interconnected, and I see myself in you
And do I take you by the hand
Should I lead you by the hand
And lead you through the land
Should I guide you through the land
And help me understand
So that you can assist me in achieving comprehension
The best I can
To the best of my abilities
And no one called us to the land
No one invited us to the land
And no one crosses there alive
No one has ever managed to cross the region alive
No one speaks and no one tries
No one has attempted to talk about or address the situation
No one flies around the sun
No one has flown around the sun
Almost everyday you fall
Every day, you almost seem to stumble into my life
Upon my waking eyes
I see you when I wake up in the morning
Inviting and inciting me
Tempting and encouraging me
To rise
To get up and start the day
And through the window in the wall
Out of the window, which is part of the wall
Come streaming in on sunlight wings
Beams of light enter through the window, resembling wings of sunlight
A million bright ambassadors of morning
Countless emissaries of the new day come with these lights
And no one sings me lullabys
There is no one to sing me a soothing song
And no one makes me close my eyes
No one commands me to close my eyes
So I throw the windows wide
Instead, I open the windows wide
And call to you across the sky
I shout out to you, far across the skies
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Gilmour, George Waters, Nicholas Mason, Richard Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind